Folding machine



Aug. 20, 1935. M. KAHN I FOLDING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 5; [NVE TOR Aug. 20, 1935. L M. KAl- -iN FOLDING MACHINE Filed May 31, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 20, 1935. M.YKAHN 2,011,934-

FOLD'ING MACHINE Filed May 51, 19:0 3 Sheets-Sheet s Patented Aug. 20, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FoLmNc MACHINE Application May 31, 1930, Serial No. 457,760

' 8 Claims.

This invention relates to folding devices and particularly to the type used in the laundry industry where fiat articles of varying sizes are adapted to be folded.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a novel and effective means for folding the articles fed into the device in succession.

Another object is to provide for the actuation of only the width of folder corresponding most nearly to the width of the article to befolded.

A further object is to provide for positive coupling means of the unit comprising the folder.

These and other objects are attained by means of a device described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings forming part thereof, the novel features and improvements in construction being set forth in the claims.

In the drawingsa Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of the improved folding machine mainly in schematic form.

Fig. 2 is an-end view of the actuating mecha nism viewed on line 2- -2 in Fig. 1 with parts re- 1 ing the invention will now be described: Rotatably mounted on frame ID are rollers l l v to 23 inclusive which carry tapes 24 to 29 inclusive. A motor 30 is the driving means acting through transmission 30' and belts or chains 3i whereby, the tapes 24, 25, 28 and 23 are driven continuously in one direction. A spring 32 causes tapes 26 to be driven by friction against tapes 2'! in the same direction therewith. Articles 33 are adapted to be fed between tapes 24 and 25 at rollers H and I2 and to be carried forward by the tapes 24 and 25. The front and rear edges of the articles 33 are adapted to depress or otherwise actuate the controlling switches 34 and 35 in the path of travel of the articles. These switches are connected with the timing device 36 and the roller clutch mechanisms 37 respectively. The purpose of the timing device 36 is to time the reversing of the travel of the tapes 2! and thereby of 2B. The roller clutch mechanism 31 actuates the tapes selected by the switch 35, the number to correspond most nearly to the width of the article.

The roller clutch mechanism 3! in the particular construction here illustrated, comprises a solenoid 38 having a; plunger 39 operating against a spring 40; contactors 4| and 42 adapted to be bridged by switch 43 on plunger 39; a pair of driving clutch couplings 44 and 45 adapted to be actuated by plunger 39 through linkage 46 pivoted at 41 so that when one coupling is in, 5 the other is out of engagement with its mate.

The rollers 2| are loosely mounted on shaft 48 which is driven by one of the chains 3|, the coupling 44 revolving with shaft 48. -Suitably geared to shaft 48 through gears 49 is another 10 shaft 50 which revolves in the opposite direction to shaft 48, and coupling 45 on shaft 50 therefor likewise revolves in the opposite direction to coupling 44. The females of the coupling 44' are keyed to the rollers 2!, so that when clutch 44 15 is engaged, the roller revolves therewith. The

female of 45 idles on shaft 50 and is belted to an element actuated by the closing of the switch 34 by the front end of the article to travel at a 30 speed corresponding to half of the speed of the sheet until the end of the article is reached by the switch 34, whereupon the release of this switch causes'the element to travel at the full speed of the sheet for a distance corresponding to the dis- 5 tance required to bring the center of the sheet to the folding point, at which time the element makes contact to send an impulse to one of the switches 35.

If that switch 35 be closed, this impulse passes 40 through the switch through the coil of the solenoid 38 to actuate the solenoid to reverse the travel' of the tapes 21. As soon as the solenoid is actuated, it is held actuated by a contact between the fingers 4| and 42 energized through the switch 35. 45 When this particular construction is employed, therefore, the tape 21 will remain reversed so long as switch 35 is depressed.

Each switch 35 is also adapted when depressed by an article, to actuate a free contact of each 50 adjacent switch 35 in such a manner that if such adjacent switch is also closed, the solenoid 38 corresponding to saidadjacent switch will also be actuated but if the said adjacent switch 35 be not flow to the adjacent condition their corresponding solenoids to be aotu-' ated by the impulse sent out by the timing mechanism. Those of the switches 35, however, which are not encountered by the article to be pressed, will not be depressed so that the corresponding solenoids will not be actuated. This feature is important because to actuate a folding mechanism which was under control of another sheet would cause it to fold falsely. V

As illustrated,..four contacts are provided upon the switch 35 connected respectively to the source of energy to the solenoid to the holding switch and to the next adjacent switch, and all of these contacts are connected together by the depression of the switch. It is not necessary in order to effect a fold that switch 35 hold the plunger 39 closed for the full travel of half the sheet. Inmany cases a momentary reversal of the feeding rolls I1 and 20 is suflicient to cause the article to be gripped at its center to be drawn back between the roller I1 and I4.

The operation of the folding machine herein- 34 and thereby actuate the timing mechanism 36.

The article having actuated the timing mechanism '36, passes over the switch 35 over roller l1 and is carried between tapes 26 and 21 to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 because that is their normal direction of travel, 1. e. clock-wise for 21, and counter-clockwise for 26.

When the article has reached the folding position so that the desired line of fold is say midway between rollers I! and 20, the timing device 36 will automatically cause the closing of the solenoids 38 through switches 35 so that they become energized and actuate the plungers 39 to disengage couplings 44 and engage couplings 45, thereby effecting the reversal of travel of rollers 2| and hence of tapes 21 and 26. The rear portion of the article being fed forwardly while the leading portion is fed in the reverse direction. A dent is thus produced in the article 33 along its line of fold and it is fed between rollers l1 and 20, carried down to rollers 22 and onto conveyor 29 which carries it off in folded condition and delivers it on a table at the delivery end of the conveyor 29.

Tapes 21 continue traveling in their reversed direction as long as the article being folded depresses switch 35. When the rear end of the article being folded leaves switch 35, the solenoids 38-lose their hold on plungers 39 because of thebreak caused in their circuit and springs) cause plungers 39 to reverse engagements of couplings 44 and 45 so that the front end of the next article will travel between tapes 26 and 21. Once the article folded has passed between rollers I 1 and 20 and between tapes 28 and 28, it will continue in its-travel to the delivery table even though tapes 2! had been reversed again to clockwise direction of travel, because the pressure between tapes 26 and 21 is small compared to that between the other rollers and tapes. t

-quirements of practical use.

Due to the fact that a separate clutch mechanism is provided for every tape 2l-of course each mechanism may be adapted to control a plurality of tapes as wellthat number of tapes 2'! are controlled in their direction of travel as are actuated by the article through switches 35.

I Thus only the number of tapes are actuated that most clearly correspond to the width of the article being folded. This permits a number of articles to be fed alongside of each other. The articles to be folded must be fed so as to actuate at least one switch 34 so that the timing device 36 may be actuated to control along with the switches 35, the energization of the solenoids 38. In the preferred construction here shown, one, switch 34 controls a number of solenoids 38 through interconnections not shown between adjacent switches 35. For that reason, articles fed alongside of each other should have at least one switch 35 between them, so that the reversal of the tapes under one will not affect the other.

Moreover, switch 34 may be contacted by a succeeding article before the article to be folded had left switch 35. In order to hold the plungers 39, while the timing device is actuated by the succeeding article, the plungers 39, once drawn in by the energized solenoids cause a bridging of contacts 4| .and 42 and thereby the circuit through the solenoids 38 is not broken until switch 35 is released by -the rear end of the article. Thus the solenoids are kept energized until the articles being folded have been practically entirely drawn away in folded condition by the tapes 28, 28. I

It will thus be seen as the embodiments of the various features of this invention have been fully described, that they attain the various objects of the invention and are well suited to the re- Of course, many changes can be made' in the above construction. Also many widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof. V

It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the description and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Accordingly what is claimed 'and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A folding machine comprising a system of conveyors for fabric articles, and means for re- 3. In a device of the class described, in combination, a plurality of continuously moving tapes for transporting articles of varying sizes over a roller, a second set of moving tapes adapted to receive the front ends of said articles from said first tapesand means for reversing the direction of movement of said second set of tapes when an article is in folding relation thereto.

4. A folding machine comprisinga system of I conveyors-for fabric articles and means for reversing the direction of travel 'of that transverse portion of one of said conveyors most nearly' correspondingto the width of said articles to effect the folding thereof.

5. A folding machine, comprising a system of controlled by said articles when disposed partially on each of two conveyors in folding relation thereto, for causing reversal oi the direction of movement of the leading conveyor to effect the folding of said articles.

6. A folding machine, comprising a system of conveyors of fabric articles, one of said conveyors adapted for reversal in direction of its-travel. means for efiecting said reversal when said article is in operative relation to said conveyors and means for feeding the forwardly and reverse moving portions of said article simultaneously onto one of said other conveyors.

7. Sheet-folding apparatus comprising a belt conveyor for transmitting a sheet of material, a second belt conveyor, said conveyors being so disposed that said sheet of material is transferred from said first conveyor to said second conveyor, and means for reversing the direction of motion of said second conveyor after 'a predetermined length of said sheet has been transmitted from said first conveyor to said second conveyor.

8. Sheet-folding apparatus comprising a conveyor for advancing unfolded sheets, a second conveyor for advancing folded sheets, means, responsive to the presence of an unfolded sheet adjacent to said second conveyor, for reversing the direction of motion thereof, said means being efiective to reverse the direction of motion to its original condition after a predetermined length of said sheet has passed to said second conveyor.

LEO M. KAHN. 

